For the past 8 years, our daughters have been working for an angus ranch/farm. This family has show cattle and when they are at shows “we” do their chores. I can’t tell you how many life lessons we have learned from doing this. NOTHING is better for kids than a good work ethic and to actually do hard work. I have issues with laziness in kids.
Our oldest daughter started doing the chores along with an older friend when she was in 6th grade. Then our 2 took over for several years and finally this year our youngest worked with a younger friend to help train him to carry on doing the chores next year.
I must admit, I will miss this! It is so much fun when the calves are born, especially when one needs to be bottle fed! I LOVE “bottle babies” because they let you get up close and are really friendly. I will even miss the cold winter early mornings of climbing into the “bunk” feeder and stomping down the frozen silage. Watching the steam rise from these huge cows as they slumber in a mountain of straw. I will miss hearing the different “bellerring” I actually am pretty good at detecting what they mean…the bull has one growl, the beller of a cow calling a calf, the snorts, the “woo woo” yoddle of the cows calling each other to come up to the barn. I will miss the washing and “blowing out” of show cattle; walking them around on halters. Just the whole experience has been such a blessing for us.
Even when we made mistakes; left gates open, sorting out cows and calves, electric fences down, storm damage, couldn’t get wood furnace started, etc., we learned “how not to do” stuff too. There have been some scary times; feeding bulls, walking bulls over to different pens on halters, being stepped on, kicked at, pushed from behind, rope burns, getting between newly born calf and cow, coaxing the newly born calf on the teat without getting the cow pissed and others. "Who is standing and who is riding”…(if you know what I mean), AI experiences, getting cows in shutes, etc. and I’m sure others that Renee was too nice to tell us about…. (smile)!
So, thanks Renee, Jessica and Jared for the years of fun and lessons. We are forever changed because of it! Love you guys….Jacky.
Blessing from Wisconsin!
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great experiences for your kids - for all of you.
ReplyDeleteI have issues with lazy kids as well! Love the first cow picture!
ReplyDeleteLove it! These are ALL things we've learned as we're building up our small ranch. Soon the kiddos will be helping.
ReplyDeleteWow, Jackie... you are the real mccoy as we say here in N. B,... grin..
ReplyDeleteGod bless you all..